Truth be told, I’ve rarely met a cookie, cupcake or bar that I didn’t like.

But when it’s like 1,345 degrees in Texas with 127% humidity, there aren’t many desserts that are worth turning the oven on for.

These lemon bars, however, are a major exception.

The picture doesn’t really do these guys justice, and admittedly, I went a little nutso with the walnuts with this batch. That said, these are absolutely worth a few minutes of prep and baking—especially if you’re a major lemon lover like me.

They’ve got the perfect sweet/tart balance, and the graham cracker crust is totally to-die-for. It’s so good that I vow to never, ever buy one of those pre-made jobs again. The difference in flavor and texture is truly worlds apart.

Got a sweet craving? Need an excuse to use the can of sweetened condensed milk hiding in your pantry because you never got around to making fudge at Christmas? I dare you to give these a try. I’ve also made the lemon/blueberry variation and was also a big fan because for one, the blueberries don’t “bleed” like the raspberries do. Yes, when the recipe suggests to “fold gently,” you want to do just that. I almost wound up with pink lemon bars from being a tad too aggressive.